


The Night Before Christmas ... Wesen Style

by Luthienberen



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Male Friendship, Wesen traditions, grimm_challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-26
Updated: 2013-12-26
Packaged: 2018-01-06 05:41:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1103076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luthienberen/pseuds/Luthienberen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Monroe shows Nick how wesen celebrate Christmas without being disturbed by humans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Night Before Christmas ... Wesen Style

**Author's Note:**

  * For [synia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/synia/gifts).



> Written for synia for the Christmas Gift Challenge at grimm_challenge, who requested Nick & Monroe friendship, plus a take on wesen traditions at Christmas. Not beta-read.

Upon the night before Christmas all was still. Portland lay under a frosty cloak. In the city life yet bustled: cars and trains and people, but in the woody areas only a few creatures crept about their business - humans had long fled.

Here, under white branches the world was dark with occasional cries from nocturnal animals. The darkness seemed to grow blacker, the moon and stars veiled. A hush settled and... Hark! What Moves There? Why, a Blutbad and a Grimm!

The two figures wound through the trees carefully, the Grimm grasping the Blutbad whose eyesight was better than his in this darkness. Over icy exposed rocks they stepped, wary of slipping and falling. Further in they moved until at last they reached a sheer wall of earth and rock, strengthened by old tree roots that looked like twisted fingers.

Shuddering with the cold, even beneath all his layers, the Grimm asked, "Is this it Monroe?'

The Blutbad grinned. "Yes, Nick. Come on; let's get out of this cold."

Monroe reached out and brushed away some of the dirt to reveal partially a rock face. Long thin scratches were etched in the surface though Nick couldn't see them properly. They had brought only one torch and they had shielded its light jealously, anxious that none should see them.

Monroe however seemed to understand them, not that Nick was terribly surprised, after all Monroe had brought him to this place. Precisely, Monroe pressed down on etches and spoke words in Latin.

"'Latin?" murmured Nick.

Monroe smiled wolfishly, "Less likely these days that humans speak Latin. Also, after so many centuries Latin is associated with a lot of weird and strange rituals, traditions and magic. Gotta say, it's a convenient language to be 'mystic' in."

Nick rolled his eyes, "Well, finish being mystic and let me in okay? My feet are going off."

Monroe snorted, but before he could reply the rock face moved. Nick's mouth fell open. “Whoa. That is awesome."

Monroe nodded and bowed, flourishing his arm, "Enter Nick.”

Nick smacked Monroe on the arm and hurried inside. He was grateful for the torch because the second Monroe shut the rock door darkness descended, the darkness of earth and rock.

Nick shone the torch around, a little unnerved by the almost solid blackness surrounding him. The yellow beam revealed an earthen structure that appeared part natural and part... "Claws? Monroe, was this place dug by Wesen?"

“Yes, a long time ago. Way before I came to Portland."

Monroe clapped a hand on Nick's shoulder, a comforting gesture that Nick really appreciated.

"It's not far, I'll show you. We don't want to be late!"

As they started walking Nick was grateful that Monroe did not remove his hand. He smiled to show thanks and Monroe just began singing a Christmas carol.

Eventually, after what Nick estimated was 300 metres, though under the earth all perception of distance was off-kilter, he saw a shimmer of light.

Monroe now pulled Nick along and Nick saw that there was a sheer silver cloth hanging in front of an entrance. The sound of low voices now reached him and Nick glanced at Monroe who smiled with childish glee. With his spare hand Monroe pulled aside the cover and tugged them through.

The sudden brightness caused Nick to wince, but as his vision adjusted he gasped.

A cavern had opened out in earth. Sheer walls of brown soil were packed and Nick espied tree roots, rocks and precious stones. They flickered light from...

"Wow."

Torches burned in brackets painted gold and silver, like from some old medieval film. Baubles of blue, pink, red, silver, gold, some with images dangled from strings looped around the walls and little figurines of St Nicholas were artfully positioned (attired in various coloured robes of green, scarlet and blue, a staff in the hands of some, a sack in others. A long floppy hat perched on a few).

Traditional scenes from Victorian Christmas: of couples walking in the snow, sledging and singing carols were also topping fold-away tables.

The food...it was magnificent. Nick excited ran over with Monroe laughing behind.

"Hey, Nick! Wait up." Fish dishes, (carp, cod, herring in chopped onions and oil plus others!), were arranged on plates and Nick recognised pierogi and oh… "Mushroom soup and potato salad. Yours Monroe?"

"Yes, Rosalee brought it for me."

"Hello Nick."

Nick turned to see an amused Rosalee standing beside them. "Hello Rosalee. Ah, sorry, I was a bit overwhelmed."

Rosalee's eyes were warm. "Yes, I can tell. We're about to begin, so if you can wait we'll then eat, sing and open presents."

"On Christmas Eve?"

Monroe sighed, "How many times have I got to tell you Nick? A lot of countries, Germany included, celebrate Christmas Eve and have a special meal with songs then open their presents. We also attend Church if you are so inclined.”

“I didn’t forget Monroe, I have your present right here in my backpack. Just wanted to pull your leg.”

"Sure you do." Monroe headed for the centre of the cavern and Nick hurried after now noticing the bare Christmas trees, small and some artificial, spaced along the walls.

In the middle of the room, Monroe raised his arms and called for silence. "Now, fellow Wesen it is our time to celebrate! It's Christmas Eve and whatever your tradition this is the night we are free to be ourselves."

Smiling at Nick, Monroe continued, "For our guest tonight I'll explain. We wesen have to hide away from the humans, but there are times in the year when the majority of humans are so distracted that we can easily sneak away, let our hair down and be natural.

""For us, this means Christmas, specifically this one night where families and friends come together and parents put their children to bed with stories of St Nick, Santa or Father Christmas, whatever your name for him is."

Monroe clapped his hands, "Well, in the past this has allowed us to creep away like mice and find secret places in the silent, human free forests. If we're lucky we can bury ourselves in the earth. So, let's have fun and show Nick what a wesen celebration looks like!"

Tilting his head back, Monroe howled, fur sprouting and awed Nick watched as Monroe's teeth grew over his lips and when Monroe turned to him, red eyes g1immered from wolfish features.

Peering around Nick saw Rosalee in her fox form, Bud and his children and wife, sporting their Beaver selves openly. Roddy was there chatting to Holly, a rat and wolf acting natural and in a spilt second suddenly running to a nearby tree. With much shrieking, laughing and in Roddy's case snatching up his violin to play a few random strings, they attired the tree.

Rosalee drifted off to assist poor Hank who had been dragged here earlier, to entertain some Fuchsbau kids who were literally snapping and releasing the chilling calls of their kind.

“Nick want to decorate a tree?"

“Heck yes Monroe." Grabbing a handful of Monroe's jacket, Nick now took lead and choose a tree near some exposed crystals and roots that reached right down to the compacted earthen floor.

“Here,” Nick hauled a box and pulled out silvery-violet tinsel and a St Nicholas hanging decoration, "we have a lot to do before we eat."

“I’ve created a decoration-thirsty Grimm haven't I?"

Nick mock-glared at Monroe, "This hungry Grimm will pin ornaments on you if you aren’t careful.”

Monroe growled.

''Not frightening Monroe."

Monroe grunted, "Stupid Grimm," but he bumped shoulders with Nick who quickly hugged his friend. It was awkward, but Nick was happy that Monroe was sharing this secret celebration, this silent world, with him. He hadn't many friends in his life and his friendship with Monroe while unique was one of the greatest pleasures in his life and more important than Nick knew how to say.

"Sappy Grimm," mumbled Monroe who pushed Nick's head up so they could press noses together, 'wolf kiss' Monroe called it.

Nick called it in his head, 'way for two repressed males to say they loved each other'.

Gently withdrawing they both decorated the tree enjoying each other's company and singing and howling various Christmas tunes. Nick surprised Monroe with a rendition of a German carol and Monroe teased him with a replica Grimm icon to use.

It was not long before a sea of wesen was sitting down to feast and share good cheer, unfettered by concerns of humans discovering them.

The night before Christmas Nick decided, drinking hot chocolate mid eating Stollen, was the best night in the whole world.


End file.
